...Keep Calm & Go to Disneyland

60! 

That's the magic number! In just two months from today I will be bound for the Happiest Place on Earth! 

Whoooooo Hoooooo!

Donations ANYone?

I thought it was about time to plug my Donor's Choose site again! My last project went unfunded. Yes, it's sad. I only got $10 in donations for that project. I'm not complaining TOO badly because I have had 3 projects funded in the past 9 months! I have two more currently up for grabs. I am beginning to think of next school year (in fact, I have spent numerous hours on this Saturday afternoon prepping and planning for first grade next year!) and figuring out what I need to enhance my classroom environment. 

Here is the link to my Donor's Choose site . . . 

http://www.donorschoose.org/kristina.schiltz

One project has only 33 days left! The second project has been submitted and should be up and running within the next few days, so keep checking!  

Project #1: My TINY carpet for story and calendar time can only fit 10-12 kids. They always seem to bicker about who gets to sit on the carpet. I am hoping praying this will be funded in the next month, so I can have this by September!

Project #2: This would be my new mailbox/communication center. My homemade mailboxes (that cost me nearly $50!) started falling apart last December. I found this and I just love it! It's sturdy and will hold up year after year, not to mention it is great for students delivering notes and messages to me, I can hang the lunch menu etc. I want this soooooooooooooo badly!

Where Is My Teacher?

I took the day off of work on Friday because I have to use up some personal days before the end of the school year, so I don't lose them! I really have a hard time taking days off. Frankly, it is much easier to just be at work rather than plan to be gone. I found a cute little writing prompt on Pinterest (of course!) called "Where is my teacher?" so I left it for them to do on Friday while I was gone. They seriously came up with the most clever responses... I just had to share! 

                Where Is My Teacher?

I think Miss Schiltz went to California. 

I think she is sick. 

I think she went to the party store to buy party supplies.

I think Miss Schiltz went to hang out with her sister at the mall. 

I think she is at the beach looking at the sunset.

I think she is sick and I hope that she is not really sick. 

I think Miss Schiltz is hiding.

I think she is sick and she is mountain climbing and she is seeing her sister and she is swimming in Hawaii where she is having her birthday party.

I think Miss Schiltz went to Payless to shop for shoes.

I think Miss Schiltz is sick.

I think Miss Schiltz is spying. 

I think she is surfing in Hawaii.

I think Miss Schiltz is sick or she is with her sister.

I think she is buying something for our class party.

I think Miss Schiltz is scubadiving for the Titanic. 

 I think Miss Schiltz is sick.

I think she is in London shopping for party supplies.

I think Miss Schiltz is at her house taking care of her kids.

I think Miss Schiltz is shopping for stuff for our Warm Fuzzy Party or our Counting Party or our Links Party. 

Seriously, aren't they the absolute cutest?! I guess I better get shopping for those 3 parties they have almost earned!  

 

78 Daysssssssssss Away!

Updated Concert Blog!

Concerts

This was the first concert that I remember. It's Carmen. Yes, the Christian singer. It was at the Tacoma Dome and the place was ROCKIN'. Like I said, no hatin'.

Jamie O'Neal at the Puyallup Fair. What ever happened to her?!

Mmmmm. Mmmmm. Mmmmm. Yup, loved this show. Again, at the Puyallup Fair.

Up until last summer, Rascal Flatts was by FAR the best concert I had seen. Once again, it was at the Puyallup Fair. 

BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE! This was the best concert I had ever seen and I don't think it will ever be beat!!

I also saw NKOTB with BSB at the Tacoma Dome and the show was ah-amazinggggg!  
AND, I get to see them AGAIN this July!! 

I loved seeing Britney at the Rose Garden in June of 2011. Very fun show!! 

I saw Nicki the same night I saw Britney. She was awesome.

I have seen Toby Keith not once, but TWICE! Both times I saw him at the Sleep Country Amphitheater in Ridgefield. Always a good show. I would probably even go again! 

I saw Trace in the summer of 2010 and what. a. show!! He is so tall... like 6'7" I believe. Love, love, loved this show!

Eric Church came with Toby Keith last summer. It was a pretty good show!

I'm not going to lie. . . she did not put on a great show. I was pretty close to the stage too. Not feeling it.

Matt Nathanson was in Kent with Kelly Clarkson. It was an okay show. Not exactly my kind of music, but still fun.

Kelly Clarkson is amazing. Seriously, this girl can BLOW! Her live vocals are just mind-blowing! 
I get to see her again this September! Whooo Hooooo!

I saw Matthew Morrison last summer and he puts on a great show!!! It was just him, no Glee and I loved it!

September 22, 2012! It's going to be freaking awesome!

 Aaron Carter. Yup, this happen - April 2013.


Here's what's to come in the summer of 2013 . . .

Can't. Freaking. Wait! 

Easyyyyyy

Here is one good thing that came out of my divorce... no man can EVER hurt me that bad again. I have went through the worst possible heartache imaginable, yet I have picked up the pieces and given love another go. It's not as easy as it was 7 years ago as a 20 year old college student, but nevertheless I am trying. Luckily, heartbreak this time around has been a little.. actually, A LOT easier to handle. My guard is up... my heart protected - just a little bit, for now. I am so glad to have Mom, Katie, Cynthia, Lindsay and Abby to help me out. They are an awesome support system! I love you girls!

Happy 2013!

This is the year I get my Master's degree! Yup, I am on track for EARLY graduation- December 22, 2013! That sounds SO much better than March/April 2014, right?! I plan to devote 2013 to work, and lots of it, school, lots of it and, of course, continuing on in that crazy world of dating. I am thinking I could write a story about all my dates and the psycho 'not right for me' guys that I meet on the daily. This has just given me a great idea for several new blog posts . . . ;o)

 

Stay tuned. . .

Word.

"Girls are taught a lot of stuff growing up. If a guy punches you he likes you. Never try to trim your own bands and someday you will meet a wonderful guy and get your very own happy ending. Every movie we see, every story we're told implores us to wait for it, the third act twist, the unexpected declaration of love, the exception to the rule. But sometimes we're so focused on finding our happy ending we don't learn how to read the signs. How to tell from the ones who want us and the ones who don't, the ones who will stay and the ones who will leave. And maybe a happy ending doesn't include a guy, maybe... it's you, on your own, picking up the pieces and starting over, freeing yourself up for something better in the future. Maybe the happy ending is... just... moving on. Or maybe the happy ending is this, knowing after all the unreturned phone calls, broken-hearts, through the blunders and misread signals, through all the pain and embarrassment you never gave up hope."

 

Amen.

The End.

See the Hollywood Sign in Person

Now I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have been to California. LOTS! At least 10 times, but I have yet to see the Hollywood sign. Have YOU seen it? Is it anything spectacular? I have a feeling I will be a little disappointed, that's why I have never gone out of my way to go see it. 

Someday! Ü

Ride in a Helicopter

I want to do this SO badly! Every season on The Bachelor (and The Bachelorette) they are always so romantcially riding around on helicopters. I want to do that!!!

It does look rather scary, so I would definitely need to do it with someone who can keep me calm. :)

Learn to Be Good at Playing the Piano Once Again

I began piano lesson at the age of 15 maybe... it could have been 16. I took them up until I left for college at Central in 2004. I was never seriously good. I could have been. I think I was right at the cusp of becoming really good, but then I moved away and I just didn’t have anywhere to practice while away at college. Someday I want to pick it up again. I hope it’s kind of like riding a bike and it will come back east. I would hate to think all those years of lessons would be wasted! I have a piano waiting for me when I have the place for it. My next house WILL have a designated place where I will make sweet music.

As annoying as she is . . .

. . . Taylor Swift gets me. 

Master's Degree Update!

Remeber this post???

Checkkkkk it Out!

It was 6 long months ago that I began my master's program in Professional Development. I am 3 quarters down and still holding down a 4.0! I am quite proud of myself for being able to do that while working full-time and all the other responsibilities that life has for me. I start my 4th class on January 7th! I am actually looking forward to it! 

Ü

I decided to double up and take 2 classes instead of one this summer, so that I can graduate in December 2013 vs March/April 2014. Doesn't that just sound so much better?! I think so! Plus, I figure I will have the time off this summer to devote to two classes. Only 7 more to go! 

I'm feeling good about it all and loving Walden U!  

I'll Never Be Ready To Say Goodbye & I Will Always Love You, But I'm Ready To Let You Go

I have sat down a million times to make posts about what I am about to say, but I no longer feel as though I need to. 

I don't feel I need to explain. 

It is what it is. 

These are thoughts that have run through my mind over the past 30 months; from what I refer to as
"D" (June 19, 2010) day to just day ago. 

Some thoughts are just mine alone and others are things I have heard along the way that have popped into my mind randomly. 

Welcome to my world... I am finally ready to let go. 

Things are looking up and there are so many things in life worth smiling about.  

8.17.10
Sometimes my eyes get jealous of my heart. Know why? It is because you always remain so close to my heart yet so far from my sight.

7.16.10

The best songs don't bring you back to the day you first heard them but the day they started to mean something to you.

1.6.11
Sometimes, no matter how much you do, or how much you try, someone will not understand how much you've done until you're gone and they have no one left who actually cares about them, who can look out for them, and who will understand.

8.09.11

You can tell me a hundred times that you're sorry, and a thousand more that it won't happen again. You know I love you more than anyone in this world, but all these lies? I'm sorry, I can't deal with that.

11.11.12
Sarcasm keeps me from telling people what you really think of them.

11.12.12
So when you find yourself in love, don't let that feeling go so easily.

3.6.11

I can't seem to think, you're fogging up my mind. I don't know what to say, I don't know what to do but I think I'm in deep like with you.


10.14.10
Do you ever sit and think; what if? What if you had never said the first hello...or what if our paths never crossed? What if you kept your mouth shut and just let things pass...what if I had just five more minutes...what if I could turn back time and make it all stand still...where would our lives be? Better? Worse? Less confused? More confused? Happier?...Or sadder?


06.20.10
Sometimes you have to smile and act like everything is okay, hold back the tears and walk away.

11.08.11
What you need, what you deserve,is a guy who adores you for what you are. Who doesn't see you as a project, but a prize.

06.22.12
You are so superficial, all you care about is what is on the outside. Maybe you should try focusing on your personality because frankly, it sucks.

07.07.10
Just because you think that you are, doesn’t mean that you really are. So quit being a cocky asshole.   (one of my personal favs ;)


01.19.11 When we first met, I had no idea you would become so important to me.

03.18.11

Just the smell of your hair is enough to drive me insane. 

07.29.12
It's not that I hate you, it's like, hmmmm, let's just put it this way, if you here on fire and I had water, I'd drink the water.

12.07.12
You can't make the same mistake twice. The second time you make it, it's no longer a mistake, it's a choice.


10.13.12
Who am I kidding? You don’t need me around anymore. Well, I hope you love the rest of your life. Just remember that I was once a part of it.

01.12.11
If you're going to trust someone with your heart, make sure they have a heart of their own so they know how it feels when it's broken.

3.26.12
Instead of being fake, be yourself. Someone will hate you either way.

11.18.12
I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you stronger.

06.06.12

The greatest challenge in life is to find someone who

knows all your flaws, differences, and mistakes,

and yet still sees the best in you.

11.01.12
No matter how much you tell yourself you're over someone, your heart knows the truth.

02.11.12

In life people come and go, but I wish I had control

over those who stay and those who leave.

02.14.12If I told you how I felt, it would ruin everything.

01.19.11
Every passing second is a chance to turn it all around.

12.18.12

If you feel that I'm falling for someone new, it's not because

I love him.  It's because you weren't there to catch my fall.

06.28.10

Love doesn't mean you'll never break up, it just means that you'll always get back together.

10.28.11
Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.

05.18.11
You'll never find the right person if you don't let go of the wrong one.

 12.09.12
I like having you kept away for myself. Yes, it's very selfish indeed.  

06.21.10
It's amazing what you can hide with a smile.

12.01.12
I love everything you hate about yourself.

07.16.10
They say the ones you love, you'd die for. But I say the ones I love, I live my life for.

 04.04.11
The cracks in the sidewalk remind us that even the strongest things can break sometimes.

11.19.12
Always follow your heart, but take your brain with you.

3.18.11
Kristina, you deserve to be with someone who is nice to you all the time.

09.18.12
Don't be a woman that needs a man, be a woman a man needs.

06.29.10
It's a shame this won't work out, because the days when I see you, I actually still feel alive.

 08.03.10
You and me; the second most perfect combination of three words in the entire English language. What's the first? I love you.

06.30.10
It always rains the hardest, on the people who deserve the sun.

12.14.12
Dont complain about getting older. Some people never get a chance to.

10.10.12
I fantasize about rejecting the apologies I know will never come.

07.31.10 
I wasted 11:11 wishes on you.

10.10.10 
You can deny it all you want, but if it still hurts, you still care.

08.04.10
Sometimes when you think things can't get worse, fate throws you one of those unexpected turns & you are never the same.

 09.19.10
Sometimes when one person is missing, the whole world seems depopulated.

10.01.10No one wants to hear this, but sometimes the person you want the most is the person you're best without.

02.18.11
Sometimes, dreams are the only thing that keep us alive.

04.19.12
It's an interesting feeling to scroll through all the numbers in your phone and realize that there is no one who will understand.


08.03.10
Put your phone down and step away. Sorry honey, but he's not calling today.

08.28.11
I wish I knew how to make a feeling stop.

05.17.11
Want to know a secret? I'm still waiting for you.

06.25.10
Never planned that one day; I'd be losing you.

08.26.10
I believe in you and I believe in us. And I'm really not ready for you to break my heart again.

11.16.11
Speak the truth. Even if your voice shakes.

06.210
Everyone tells me I could do better, but what if I don't want to?

07.04.10
Please... don't lie to me. That's all I ask of you, I’d rather you hurt me with the truth.

08.16.10
What the hell am I suppose to do? Just move on? Just forget everything? Because last time I checked, you said forever, but that's not what this feels like. Forever was a lie.

10.28.12
Sometimes, you have to get rid of the old feelings to make room for the new ones.

Bedroom Makeover!

I have known for a long time that I wanted to completely redo my master bedroom. I didn't quite know what exactly I wanted to do, but I knew I need something different. I had been looking on Pinterest for months trying to find some inspiration. I had two pictures in mind and I knew that I wanted to keep little bits of what I had and merge them with the two Pinterest pictures. Here is where I gained my inspiration...

This is the exact layout of my room. I knew I wanted a big mirror and a chair in front of the window. I also wanted to stay with the brown tones, but add in some white. 

I love the bench at the end of the bed, as well as, the black bed. I knew I wanted this wall color and I wanted to add an accent wall.

  Well,  here are some before pictures . . .

These next two are from wayyyyy back. 

And, then I transistioned to this... 

Now, my bedroom is complete! Here is a look into my paradise. . .

My makeup vanity!

My camera is at school, so you'll have to settle for sucky broken iPhone pictures for now! It is better in person... TRUST ME! 

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Blessed in the Classroom

I am feeling especially blessed in the classroom this year. I have a parent helper nearly each and everyday! Last year, I did not have even ONE parent that could volunteer in the classroom. I was there early, late and on most weekends catching up and I am happy to say that this year is SO opposite. I sent home my last newsletter last Monday and requested a few classroom items and by Tuesday afternoon I had more than enough! WOW! I have some willing and generous families this year and I am loving all the support. I am happy to say besides buying a few items over the summer for the classroom I have spent ZERO out of pocket. I was at least $500 in by this time last year!! You never know what kind of group you will end up with, but boy did I get a great group! Ü

It's not only the families that are generous this year, it's complete strangers too! My wonderful friend who I miss dearly, Lindsay has a mom that is a teacher. Well, Lindsay's mom told me about a website called donorschoose.org. I blogged about it one right here, Donors Choose! I am SO happy to announce that 2 of my 3 grants have been completely funded by complete strangers!! How amazing is that! This was nearly $800 in classroom materials for FREE! The first grant I wrote was to ask for some clocks to teach time. Near the end of first grade we start learning to tell time, but our district's math curriculum lacks the manipulatives to be able to teach it properly. Here is what I got for my first grant . . .

I got this class set of clocks! SOOO much better than trying to make paper ones that rip!

And, I got a set of 30 of these write on/wipe off clocks and markers to go with!

    The clocks all totaled more than $220 and I feel so blessed that random people would want to donate to MY classroom for MY kids. The best part is my students will be able to use all of these materials for years to come!

My second grant was a grant with more of a focus on classroom management and organization. This grant was well over $500 in total and I thought that there was NO way it would be granted. Little did I know that it was completed within a week and I have all the materials in hand within 2 weeks of posting. Amazing!! Here is what I got for this grant . . .

I got this big timer to hang on the wall. The kids love it and work so intently until the timer goes off. 

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This was just too cute and I thought I needed it for my desk. ;o)

I haven't found a place for these just yet, but I think I am going to use them for grouping and centers etc. I need to find a magnetic white board. . . hmmm. Parent newsletter?!? Haha.

My next big project is to completely re-do my classroom library! I need to get some tubs and then these labels will be perfectttttt!

Ummmm. I might be the most excited about this one! I cannot wait to take a test (this Friday) and use these! I have wanted these for years. Sure beats having to dig out and put up folders that always tip over.

I love this and would have killed to have it last year. This year I don't really need it, but I am planing on doing something with it. It's so handy!

This is now on my rolling whiteboard and it's so convenient! No more losing markers and erasers! Whoo hoo!!

Aren't these reusable name tags just the greatest?! I have seen them used and I have always wanted them. Now I have them and just in time for our field trip THIS THURSDAY!!

And, finally. . .  the YACKER TRACKER! This has always been on my wish list, but I never wanted to spend $100 out of pocket to buy it. I have never had a quieter classroom since getting this! I keep it on all day. These are soooooooo quiet now to avoid going to "red" it is music to my ears! :)

I have one more grant that is in the works. I have asked for a class set of clipboards for the kids. It has about $190 left until it is funded. I have a few things in mind and I hope to propose my 4th grant over the weekend! Stay tuned . . .